Process of coating objects with subdivided material.



PROCESS 0F 00 997,43

' F. BRADLEY.

OBJECTS WITH SUBDIVIDBD MATERIAL. OATION FILED MAR. 13, 1911.

Patented Jul 1911i 2 SHE SHEET 1.

,, W Q A W M Q; GHQ &m% =& w s\ m a @Q 4 K M W 4 N @WN & 6% & \KQUWX AW 1* F. F. BRADLEY. PROCESS OF COATING OBJECTS WITH SUBDIVIDED MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED MARJB, 1911.

997,436, Patented July 11,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

UNITED STATES PA ENT- OFFICE. I

FRANKLIN F. BRADLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR TO BRADLEY AND VROOMAN COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF COATING OBJECTS WITH S UBDIVIDED MATERIAL.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11,- 1911.

Application filed March 13, 1911. Serial No. 614,001..

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN F. BRAD- LEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Coating Objects with Subdivided Material, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to a process of coating objects with subdivided material and is of particular service in the coating of objects with bronze powder, though the processis not to be limited to this use.

The invention has for one of its purposes the provision of a processwhereby various parts of objects having a multiplicity of surfaces may be coated, and the invention has for another purpose the provision of a process whereby the subdivided material is so applied as to impart a superior finish totheobjects coated therewith with a minimum quantity of subdivided material, though the invention is not to be limited to the achievement of both purposes.

In practicing the process of my invention I coat a multiplicity of surfaces of the object with some suitable adhesive such as a wet varnish, though I do not limit myself to the nature of the adhesive material employed. I further employ a gaseous body which is substantially confined and is adapted to have a floating action upon the particles of subdivided material so that these particles may move with a light irregular course. The object with the wet varnish or other adhesive material thereupon is placed within the gaseous body in which the particles of subdivided material substantially float, the object being so placed as to be substantially surrounded by the gaseous body in substantially all planes in order that the particles may float toward the various surfaces of the object and be deposited thereupon. It is not necessary to employ a gaseous body that will hold the particles of subdivided material permanently in suspension, as a gaseous body which will permit the particles to settle after the lapse of a considerable period of time may be employed providing such gaseous body exerts floating ac tion upon the particles sufliciently long to enable said particles to be deposited upon material forthe purpose of depositing the flakes upon 11:0

the object. In the case of bronze powder, a body of air will exert the required floating actlon upon the bronze particles. I force the movement of the air so that the bronze particles will be moved toward the object to be coated. The pressure exerted upon the air in order to effect this movement is desirably very low, say three ounces per square inch. By causing the bronze powder to float in the moving air, it is prevented from having abrasive action upon the object to be coated therewith, a result which is highly important. In accordancewith a specific feature of my present invention, to which specific feature, however, I do not wish to be limited, I cause the object to be coated to move within the gaseous body while enveloped thereby so that the various sides and surfaces of the object to be coated may be disposed at various angles with respect to the direction of movement of the gaseous body. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the object is rotated about a vertical axis of rotation while the general movement of the gaseous body is horizontal. Where the subdivided material is of a flaky formation, which is the case with bronze powder, -I desirably apply a wet layer of adhesive materialupon the object to be coated and which material is of such a nature that it is thereafter capable of being hardened, and has the roperty of disposing and, in hardening, o retaining the flakes substantially flat upon the sur face of the applied adhesive material. By this operation I am enabled to apply to the object a smooth coating that is apparently homogeneous and which has the appearance either of a smooth sheet made of material from which the subdivided material is produced and which coating of subdivided material in fact might make it appear that the entire object possessing such a coating is of i a nature throughout that is similar to such coating. Moreover I am enabled to use a minimum quantity of subdivided material in coating objects by employing the feature 0f my invention just described.

I believe the employment of adhesive material that will cause the flakes to dispose themselves in the mannerwhich has been described is broadly new with me and I do not wish to be limited to the envelopment of the object to be coated by a body of gas the object to be coated.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partially in section, of one form of the machine that may be employed in practicing the process of my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a portion of iron'tubing that so commonly enters in the manufacture of Vernis Martin beds, this figure being intended to show the smooth nature of the metal coating with which the tubing is provided in accordance with one feature of my invention; Fig. 5 is a view of a segment of the tubing shown in l but drawn on a much exaggerated scale; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the tubing taken on a much exaggerated scale; Fig. 7 is a face view of a portion of the outer surface of the tubing shown in Fig. 1, the flakes here being distinguished from each other by edge portions thereof, an appearance which is not, however, present in the actual product as it is preferably produced, so far as the naked eye at least is concerned, the flakes in Fig.7 bein also shown on a much exaggerated scale; ig. 8 is a view illustrating a very thin sheet of bronze metal; and Fig. 9 illustrates a number of flakes of very small dimensions (the flakes being shown on an exaggerated scale) which are formed by grinding the sheet shown in Fig. 8.

, Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the difi'efent figures.

Referring first more particularly to Figs.

' 1 to 3 inclusive, I employ a receptacle a into and out of which objects, such as metal bedstead parts, are moved upon a truck I) through a doorway closed by a door a, a bedstead part d being indicated within the re-' ceptacle. A section e of suitable piping leads from the air entrance side of the receptacle to a power-driven fan or blower f,

the complemental section 9 of the piping leading from the blower to the air exit sidethe receptacle 'interior, whereby the air which substantially surrounds the object to be coated in substantially all planes moves throughout the height of the object. Some and preferably substantially the most of the confined Lair caused to flow bythe-ob ect.

When the door c is shut, a' body of air is inclosed by the receptacle and piping. The

powdered or subdivided material, such as bronze powder, is admitted to the piping, preferably through an upright conduit 2'. The powder is distributed by the fan throughout the flowing column of air in the piping and is conveyed by the moving air in which it floats to and through the interior of the receptacle. The truck I) is carried by a table h upon which the truck may readily be rolled, blocks 1" serving to hold the truck in position upon the table. The table is constituted a turn table by being mounted upon the upper end of the vertically disposed shaft k that may be driven by any suitable driving mechanism such as that illustrated, which includes bevel pinions Z, shafts m and a hand crank 0.

By the mechanism illustrated, all parts to be coated of the object-d may be properly presented to the stream of air carrying the subdivided material by rotating or swinging said object, and as the selected surfaces of the object have previously been provided with suitable adhesive material such as wet varnish, the lightly floating particles of the aid of that forceful impact which would produce an abrasive action. By turnin the object that is to be coated, the sur aces thereof that are to be coated are presented to the particles of subdivided material that are floating toward the object whereby the coating process is speeded. I prefer to rotate the object that is to be coated as I thereby present the various surfaces of the object to the advancing particles at a multiplicity of angles with respect to the general direction in' which the air is being moved where by the coating operation is not only performed but is performed very speedily. I do not limit myself in all claims to movement of the object during the coating process.

' Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, each part ;0 is provided on its outer surface with a wet layer of sizing g which is capable of being hardened after it has been applied and which has the property of disposing and, in hardening, of retaining the metal flakes 1' substantially flat upon the surface of the applied adhesive material to which the metal flakes are apas being overlapped in shingle fashion. The

ssofmyinve t'l I dov not s -1 O v 7 claim" as new and" desire to secureby Letters,

cent. of China wood oil (the oil of thenut various surfaces of objects by enveloping ring of ten metal beds with bronze by hand over the resu ts 'securedf j p process are. far more un form and satislfiiili- 1911;. p a a do 1-.- The process of objects having 5 and 6 the flakes are, some of them, shown very nature of the flakes prevents an accurate illustration of their appearance when overlapping each other, the illustration in this regard being somewhat exaggerated in Figs. 5 and 6. The sizing or adhesive material with which excellent results may be secured and which is adapted to dispose and hold the metal flakes in the manner which has been described has approximately 30 per cent. of its bulk made up of kauri, 5 per of the tung tree), a fraction of aiper cent, or something in the nature of a trace,- of a mixture of litharge and manganese dioxid, and the balance of the bulk of turpentine. After the object has been coated in the manner described it is preferably withdrawn from the receptacle so that another object may be inserted in its place, it being permissible to allow the adhesive material to harden outside the rece tacle.

I believe that I have een the first to coat the objects in the manner described and to which adhesive material has been applied in a gaseous body which has floating action upon particles of subdivided material with which the objects are to' be coated.

By means of the rocess of-my invention the speed with whic objects having a mul-' tiplicity of surfaces may be coated is greatly increased. Prior to my conception of the methodor process herein disclosed, the coatwas consideredto be a pro er days work for an ordinarily skilled wor v an. When the new process is employed-the output per man, may e greatly increased, at least ten times" as much work er man being possible; More'- y means of my;

tory 'I have disclosed apparatus forcoating objects with subdivided material in my; fapphcations Serial No. 543,215,'-filed February 11,

filed October 24, 1910;; filed October. 24., 1910; Serial No.1 603,251,-'-fil'ed January 18,1;1911; Serial No.'-603,726,; filed J anuarygjmieli ll';

Serial .No. 609,203, filed-February 17,1911;

While/"I have shewn hli i' i v. j-itusthat maybe used) in practicin'gthejpr "-v 'ited "thereto.

Hayin Qthu s described my invention, I

Patent-the followin a multiplicity of .surfaces'with subdivided -ing a body of gas in which the su material in the forni of flakes which consists in placing a wet layer of adhesive material upon amultiplicity of surfaces of the object to be coatedand which adhesive material is thereafter capable of being hardened, and

ening, of retaining the flakes of subdivided material substantially flatupon the surface of the applied adhesive material to which the flakes are applied; substantiall confining a body of gas in which the su divided material is adapted to float; distributin the subdivided material with which the o ject is to be coated in the body of gas, substantially surrounding the object in substantially all planes by the body of gas, and causing some of the gas in which subdivided material isfloating to flow by the object, whereby various parts of the object having adhesive material thereon are coatedwith flakes of subdivided material.

2. The process of coating a multiplicity of surfaces with subdivided material in the form. of flakes which consistsin placing a w'etlayer, of adhesive material upon a multiplicity ofsurfaces of the object to be coated and which'adhe'sive material-is objects having I thereafter capable of being hardened, and

has the property of disposing and, in hardof'the applied adhesive material to which confindivided material is adapted to float; distributing'the subdivided material with which the object the flakes are applied; sflbstantially is to be coated in the body of gas; substantially surroundin the objectin substantially all lanes y the lb'ody of gas, causing some of the gas in which subdivided material is floating to flow by the object and causing the object to move, whereby various vparts-of the object having, adheslve material thereon ,arecoaid with material:

- 3;?The' of coating objects havin kes of subdivided which consists in placing adhesive material 'isadapted to float; distributing ject istobe coated in the bod [of gas; sub- 27, stantially .s'urroundingthe o ject in substantially' all planesby the body of gas, and

a .-mu1 tipl1 city of surfaces with subdivide materla material-upon amultiplicity of surfaces of the. objectfito becoated; substantially con-1 finingza body of-gas in which the subdivided causing some of the gas in which subdivided material floating to'flow by the object, whereby-variousarts, of;,the object havin' adhesiv'e' nia'teria thereon are'coated the subdivided material.

4, Th'efprocess: ofcoat ng' objects having I a multiplicity 'of. surfaces with subdivide material which consists lacing adhesive material upon-amultiplici y of surfaces of the object to be coated; substantially confining a body of gas in which the su divided material is adapted to float; distributing the subdivided material with which the object is to be coated in the body of the gas; substantially surrounding the object in substantially all planes by the body of gas; causing some of the gas in which subdivided material is floating to flow by the object and moving the object whereby various parts of the object having adhesive material thereon are coated with the subdivided material.

5. The process of coating objects with flakes of subdivided material which consists in applying a wet layer of adhesive material upon a surface of the object to be coated and which adhesive material is thereafter capable of being hardened, and has the property of disposing and, in hardening, of retaining flakes of subdivided material substantially flat uponthe surface of the ap- FRANKLIN BRADLEY.

' Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, Gno. C; DAvIsoN 

